


lemon with a twist

by makemelovely



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cruise Ships, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Isle of the Lost (Disney) is a Terrible Place, Mal bashing bc it’s initially audrey’s POV, Minor Ben/Mal (Disney: Descendants), Pining, Resentment, Revenge, it gets better though!!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-12
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2020-10-17 04:00:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20614613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/makemelovely/pseuds/makemelovely
Summary: Audrey gets an invitation, and Uma gets a ticket off the Isle. All they need to do to pull off the perfect plot is pretend to be in love. What could go wrong?





	1. Chapter One

There’s a wedding invitation in Audrey’s hands, purple and blue calligraphy against pristine white paper. It’s classy, and it’s even tasteful, but Audrey has a suspicion that pink would look even better curling over the page. While she’s making a few changes she might as well point out that the big _ Ben and Mal invite you _ should be _ Ben and Audrey invite you. _You know, because she’s not some lousy love potion giving villain kid.

She stares down at the invitation in her hands, thinks about throwing it away and crying herself to sleep. She thinks about the sad looks Chad would give her the next morning when she showed up to her lame classes with puffy red eyes. The worst fashion look to sport after a night of crying.

Her hands are shaking a little bit, and she can't tell if she’s, like, super mad or super sad. It’s all kind of a jumble in her chest, sharp and angry and biting. She reaches over carefully to her desk, grabbing a perfectly nice pen, and in a deliberate move checks the box next to RSVP and for good measure checks the box for a plus one. The invitation disappears in a swirl of purple smoke, thick and heavy in her dorm. She chokes a bit, coughing and sputtering as she frantically waves her hands to try and clear out the smoke.

“Thanks a lot, Mal.” Audrey mutters to herself. She bites down on her lower lip, wondering who exactly she’s going to bring as her plus one. She _ could _bring Chad, but Ben isn't likely to be upset about that. Neither will Mal for that matter, and Audrey doesn't even want to attend if she can't piss them both off.

She sits down primly at her desk, getting parchment and carefully crafting a list of people with bad history with both Mal and Ben.

Admittedly there aren't many. Probably because she’s been stuck on the Isle for most of her life, Audrey thinks bitterly. She wishes she could go back to the days of just her and Ben. Sure, she didn't spend every second of the day thinking about him, and she kind of thought he wasn't good enough for her. And of course she didn't really like being too close with him. She wasn't really fond of lingering hugs or kissing or anything like that. She much preferred to keep a tasteful amount of distance between them so they could appear respectful and considerate of the amount of PDA they displayed. It was the least they could do what with being royalty.

Well, _ he _ was royalty, and she was going to be royalty, too. Until _ Mal _ got in the way.

Mal who came from the Isle.

Mal who didn't care about anybody but herself which can be seen by her treatment of those wand stealing pirates.

Mal who used a love spell on Ben, and then got made when Ursula’s pirate daughter did the same. Like, _ hello _ Mal, you made the rules so _ you _have to stick to them. Turnabout is fair play, after all.

God, Audrey hasn't even thought about that whole drama in a long time. She’s been busy thinking about how Mal absolutely ruined her life. Which is apparently a common theme for her because she ruined that girl’s life too.

Probably.

Most likely because that's what Mal does. She ruins perfectly nice lives like Audrey’s and—

and—

and Audrey isn't even sure what her name is.

“Is it Emily? No, that's not it. It definitely had an M in it, though. Or maybe it was an N? No, I’m pretty positive it was an M.” Audrey says to herself, thinking about the pirate Mal hates. She pauses, dragging a memory back. She had been watching the news, and Mal had turned into a dragon. This was before that of course, and she tries to focus on the shape of Mal’s lips as she spoke. It feels like one of those terrible clips without audio, or maybe like a silent film with no subtitles. She thinks about the purple of her mouth, and she feels heat flood her cheeks, but she doesn't know why.

She furrows her brows, deep in concentration. “Uma,” she breathes suddenly, the name floating off of Mal’s lips and drifting to the forefront of Audrey’s mind. “Uma!” She exclaims, grinning wickedly. 

She moves to her bed, dropping against it like a stone. Her hair fans out around her, and she hums contentedly as she stares at the ceiling. _ This is going to be the best revenge ever, _ Audrey muses excitedly. _ All the eyes are going to be on me! That’ll show them. _

* * *

There are three problems.

The first happens pretty quickly into this endeavor. 

“Hey, Audrey!” Ben calls out to her as she’s taking a stroll with Chad who is talking enthusiastically about some sports game that was on last night. Audrey’s not really paying attention to him. She’s mostly thinking about what colors she and Uma can wear so they won't clash, but that Uma will agree to wear. Plus there’s the hair and accessories and everything. They both need to look out of this world.

“Hm? Oh, hello Ben.” She smiles brightly at her ex-boyfriend, smile fading as she looks over to his right and sees Mal who grasps his hand tightly. Audrey can't tell if she’s nervous or possessive and defensive. “Mal.” She says curtly, coolly.

“Audrey.” Mal dips her head a bit in greeting.

There's a long stretch of silence as the girls look at each other, observing and strategizing. “Okay,” Ben interrupts, forcing a chuckle in an attempt to lighten up the mood and get rid of the tension. “That was fun and not at all awkward. Moving on.”

“Yes, let’s.” Audrey shifts on her feet, jerking Chad closer to her unintentionally because their elbows are locked. “Whoops, sorry.” She mutters to him, sweeping a thumb along his wrist.

“It’s fine, babe.” He grins at her before grabbing his phone to take a million selfies.

“I was happy to see you RSVP’d.” Ben smiles gently at her, a hopeful look in his brown eyes that has a sense of victory coursing through Audrey immediately.

Audrey swallows, allowing her vulnerability to shine through her eyes at him. “You were?” She bites down on her lower lip, smiling at him.

“Audrey, of course! I’m incredibly happy to know that you support Mal and I despite our rocky past. I am incredibly grateful to have you at my wedding. I want us to be friends, you know.” He says the words sincerely, and it’s the sincerity that sends a punch straight to Audrey’s ribs.

“Oh, right. Friends.” Audrey echoes, breathing out shakily. Mal eyes her curiously, and Audrey clenches her jaw and slams her walls down. “I would love to be friends with you, Ben.” She sweeps her eyes over to Mal, deliberately pausing before letting a small laugh escape her. “Oh, and Mal too. Obviously.” She smiles at the purple haired girl, knowing she can see that her slight was deliberate.

Mal grits her teeth, but the words come out anyways. “Obviously.”

Ben grins cheerfully, and Audrey can see the joy pouring out of him. “Audrey, I am so happy you said that. I can't wait to build a real friendship with you on the cruise.”

“Cruise?” Audrey arches an eyebrow.

“Well, I thought it would be nice for all of the guests to accompany us on a cruise. Mal hasn't really seen the world, and I want to show it to her.” Ben squeezes her hand affectionately, and the love in Mal’s eyes appears to be real. Something caves inside of Audrey’s chest, and her heart falls right into an open pit. It’s the genuine love that hurts the most. Ben never looked at her like that. Nobody ever has. Not Ben, not Chad. Nobody.

“Is my plus one also coming on the cruise?” Audrey asks. Mal eyes her suspiciously, and Audrey flashes her press smile at her.

“Yeah, of course.” Ben takes a step forward, dropping Mal’s hand in the process. Aubrey sees the way her hand reaches out for Ben’s even as she watches him keep moving, and she certainly sees the insecurity glowing in her eyes as Ben takes Audrey’s hands in his own.

“No take backs.” Audrey jokes.

“Okay. No take backs.” Ben laughs before he grows earnest. “This cruise is going to be so great, Audrey.” He looks deeply into her eyes, and Audrey can kind of see why Mal fell in love with him. Audrey could if she spent as much time as Mal does staring into open honesty, and a softness that surprises Audrey.

Royalty is a cold and heavy crown, and Audrey had been prepared to wear it with grace. Ben wears it with kindness, and she can't help but marvel at it.

Audrey smiles, eyes moving over to Mal over Ben’s shoulder. She smiles, and she loves the sharpness she can feel in it. “Yeah,” she says, and Mal’s eyes burn. “It’s going to be great.” She’s never felt so good.

* * *

The second problem is actually finding Uma. Turns out the sea is a really large place, and locating one person is a pain in the ass. The Ben and Mal Wedding Cruise boat leaves in three days, and she’s going to need a full day to plan outfits for the two of them. If they aren't upstaging Mal and Ben every second of every day then what’s the point?

Maybe her first mistake is wandering the woods. Okay, so that was definitely her first mistake. She just kind of assumed that Uma would try to find, like, berries in the woods or something.

Spoiler alert: she didn't. 

That's one night gone, and Audrey resolves herself to scouring the beaches the next day.

It’s around noon when she gets to the Isle, and it’s an hour after that when she finally finds Uma.

So that's one problem solved.

Uma herself in another problem.

“Uma!” Audrey shouts, wandering the stony beach, the waves gently lapping at the land. “Uma!” Audrey yells again, groaning in frustration.

“What?” A voice says from behind her, and Audrey whirls around and spots the blue haired girl, half submerged in water and frowning. “Aren't you princesses tired of coming here? We don't have anything you want.” She sneers. “Unless you like rotten mangos.” She throws a disgusted glance towards the city. There’s really only a city and the outskirts, and Audrey’s just glad she didn't have to go to the city to find her. They're both carefully positioned on the outside, just barely on the beach, but Audrey has no doubt in her mind that she would have ventured into the horrific looking city to get any kind of lead on Uma’s whereabouts.

“What? No, ew.” Audrey wrinkles her nose in disgust, and her stomach twists when Uma laughs. It’s not a nice laugh. It sounds bitter and mean and angry, and maybe that's stupid to think because Audrey recognizes the sound. It’s the feeling blooming inside of her stomach, unfurling one angry petal at a time.

“Aw, can the little princess not stand rotten fruit. Toughen up, sweetheart. We have to scrape the mold off our food, and we don't think twice about eating somebody else’s garbage. _ Your _ garbage. It’s all we have.” Uma tells her, and the injustice in her eyes settles something in Audrey’s bones. She’s right, and maybe Audrey will think about it later, but her main goal is to get Uma to date her. Er, _ be _her date to get revenge. Yeah, that's better.

“Be my date to a wedding.” Audrey blurts out, feeling so incredibly stupid. Uma’s face does a funny shocked thing, and for some reason that makes Audrey feel better.

“Excuse me?” Uma asks incredulously.

Audrey blushes, but she clears her throat and sets out to explain what's up. “Mal and Ben are getting married, and I want you to be my plus one so I can get revenge on them.”

“What do I get out of this?” Uma asks.

“Revenge, duh.” Audrey points.

Uma laughs, and the smile that curls across her face sends a fluttering through Audrey that she doesn't understand. “Fair enough, but I’m not doing it.”

“What?” It feels like the floor has dropped out from under her. “No, you have to do it! It doesn't work without you.” She pleads, and she hates the bitter tears welling up in her eyes.

Uma shrugs, and there's a villainous delight in her eyes. “Sorry, princess. My schedule is all filled up with trying to find a hole in the barrier for my crew to escape.”

“I’ll get them out.” Audrey promises, feels a ferocity that she's never felt before. She _ needs _this, damn it. “Whatever it takes, I will get them out.” Audrey draws in a breath, feels it settle in her lungs. She meets Uma’s eyes. “Whatever it takes.” She repeats.

Uma stares at her, and for a moment Audrey think she’s going to say no. “You’ve got yourself a deal, princess.” There's a flash of blue smoke, and Uma is beside her, hand stretching out between them. “Shake on it?” She grins slyly, and Audrey is reminded of the Cheshire cat.

Audrey swallows uncertainly, but she reaches out and grasps Uma’s hand firmly. Something comes into focus within Audrey as she shakes Uma’s hand. It’s like her body is settling, like it’s come into focus.

Audrey wonders if she’s made the right decision, but then she imagines the look on Mal and Ben’s faces when she shows up with Uma on her arm.

Right or wrong it will be worth it.


	2. Chapter Two

She texts Uma incessantly, fingers flying over the keyboard as she strictly tells her exactly what she’s supposed to be wearing tomorrow.

_ chill Princess  _ is the two word reply Uma sends off at four in the afternoon, the day before they’re set to leave.

Audrey scoffs, thumbs dancing over the keys as she furiously replies.  _ Maybe you need to match my level of energy. Unchill if you will. Some of us have a lot riding on this, and if you mess this up for me I will end you!  _ Proper punctuation because she is a Princess, and Princesses are always proper. They don’t skulk around with colored hair and magic fingers that wiggle around like little baby snakes. No, Princesses smile like they’re happy even if they’re actually really upset that Ben forgot her birthday because that’s, like, really important, okay?

She released the breath she’d unintentionally been holding, waiting anxiously for Uma to respond.

_ Read: 4:11 pm. _

Oh whatever. Audrey could play at that game, too. She set her phone down, focusing on double checking that her suitcase was packed and ready, an assortment of pink swimsuits laid out, nestled lovingly beside each other.

She lasted ten minutes before she typed out the rest of her information, hitting send and settling down with a deep feeling of satisfaction glowing within her.

Maybe Uma would mess it all up, but something inside of Audrey thought she wouldn’t. Uma may be a VK, but she probably hated when people assumed she was lazy and stupid.

_ Only a simpleton could mess this up so don’t think for a second that I think you won’t screw this up.  _ She decides to send.

Uma’s response is instantaneous.  _ Bite me. _

Audrey bites back her smirk because smirks are nefarious and Princesses  _ aren’t  _ nefarious.

This is going to go well.

Okay, it’s going to be a disaster, but at least they’ll be matching.

* * *

Audrey waits by the docks, mouth pursed furiously. Mal and Ben stand beside her, arms wrapped comfortably around each other. It’s sweet in a sickening sort of way. Audrey supposed that sums them up pretty well, actually.

Five minutes after they were supposed to meet, Audrey had been worried that she was just running late. Ten minutes after that, she was terribly mad because of course Uma would skip out on her, and now she would look like an idiot in front of her ex and his fiancée. God, there would be nothing worse than the humiliation of their pitying eyes the moment she turns around because Uma is a flaky little villain kid.

“Don’t tell me I’m late.” Uma teases with a drawl, stepping into sight from the nearby treeline.

Audrey sighs in relief, stalking forward and wrapping Uma in her arms, mindful of Ben and Mal watching them very closely. “I thought you weren’t going to show!” Audrey hisses, scowling. Her lips are a centimeter away from Uma’s ear, breath warm as it rushes over her skin.

Uma smirks at her. “Come on, Princess, you know I’d never miss the social event of the season.” She pulls away and grins broadly at the happy couple, but Audrey notices that her eyes are locked on Mal.

Audrey snakes an arm around her waist, tugging quickly so they’re pressed snuggly against each other. Satisfaction burns through the daughter of Aurora as she notices that she and Uma are mirroring Ben and Mal. “Shall we?” She asks brightly, leading Uma towards the docked boat.

“Actually, Audrey-” Mal cuts in as Ben agrees chipperly.

“Yes, Mal?” Audrey glances at the girl, but she watches Ben carefully. His eyebrows are furrowed, the corners of his mouth pinched in a way that subtly conveys his annoyance. When they were dating, Audrey spent hours memorizing each of his expressions, and in turn his microexpressions until she knew his face better than she knew her own. Quite a feat considering her affinity for mirrors, ornate or otherwise. She took pride in knowing her boyfriend better than anyone, and she certainly knew her boyfriend better than those other girls knew their own boyfriends. Alice Elizabeth used to spend hours enviously wishing she knew her boyfriend half as well as Audrey knew hers, and each unintentional compliment only served to make Audrey absolutely glow with pride. Alice Elizabeth had the strangest, most peculiar ability. Somehow, she was Audrey’s favorite in a matter of months. Janna was unbearable about the whole thing, but Alice Elizabeth was unparalleled. They used to have sleepovers, and Audrey used to watch as she brushed out her long, white-blonde hair, silky smooth and inherited directly from her mother. There was something enchanting about her, and about the way her eyes sparkled when she laughed. She supposes it doesn’t matter now. Alice Elizabeth was a traitor, defecting to Mal the moment she and Ben became an item. Terribly unfair.

Audrey doesn’t miss her per se, but she thinks about her hair and her laugh, and something in her chest aches.

“Well,” Mal sneaks a look at Ben before swinging her eyes back to Uma. “I’m just not sure how comfortable I am with an Isle Kid who has a known vendetta against me accompanying me and those closest to me on my wedding trip.” She explains, reaching carefully out to Ben and taking his hand in hers. She squeezes his hand reassuringly, and Ben gently rubs circles on the top of her hand.

Audrey feels something tight stiffen in her gut. “While I am overjoyed to hear that I am one of your closest companions, Uma  _ is  _ my girlfriend. I could never go anywhere without the light of my life. Could I, apple blossom?” She turns expectantly to Uma, smirking at the annoyance that snakes its way across her face. It’s almost worth the sharp pain from Uma’s fingernails digging into her arm.

“No way, peachy pie.” Uma grins at her, triumph unfurling in her eyes like a flag. A declaration, and Audrey’s stomach turns at the thought of losing to her. No, she  _ will  _ come up with the best worst couples nickname, and she will win. Audrey turns to Mal with a smile, ready to spit sugar-scented poison at the purple haired girl, but Ben interrupts.

“I don’t think it will hurt, Mal.” He looks at her sweetly, encouragingly, and Audrey remembers the time he looked at her like that. He had been helping her study for a math test, and she had completed the study guide all wrong. He had patiently worked through every problem with her, explaining each equation thoroughly. He had checked her work, the answers, her memorization of all the equations. Ben was so good, so sweet, and that sweetness stuck to the roof of her mouth and dripped down along her tongue.

Ben was like Halloween, all sugary sweets and the crash that came after, wired until you crash. It was all fun and games, nice treats that rotted your teeth and sent you to the dentist. He was good until he was bad, and Audrey’s teeth ache with the memory of loving him and being left by him.

“Are you sure?” Mal asks him, and Ben nods.

“I think she’s really changed. Audrey’s good for her, you know. I can tell.” He smiles at them both, ever the perfect King, and Audrey hates him suddenly, viciously. The benevolent Ben, the kind and wise King with the perfect life and the perfect girl. The perfect story, and she hasn’t bothered him a bit.

He hasn’t thought of her at all. Hasn’t wondered how she’s doing, or what she’s been up to. He could’ve reached out, but he didn’t. Audrey realizes, suddenly, that she had been forgotten. Unimportant Audrey and her unimportant life.

Mal dips her head, a silent admission, and Audrey squeezes Uma’s hand in celebration. The Daughter of Ursula flashes a smile at her, one that sends Audrey’s heart rocketing. In celebration, of course.

They pass by the happy couple, and Audrey leans close enough to whisper to Mal as they saunter by. “You really should learn to forgive people, Mal. I know I did.” She looks benevolently upon Mal, as if Audrey’s words are a gift. “It worked wonders for me.” When Audrey smiles, she relishes in the sharpness of it.


	3. Chapter Three

Audrey never loved the sea the way Ben did. He had loved the ocean, and the scent of salt on the air, the brush of the waves against the boat, the gentle lapping sound deep in the night. Audrey hadn’t particularly cared for boats or the sea or anything of the sort. Her stomach turned occasionally, and green wasn’t exactly her color. She had tolerated it for Ben’s sake because she could see how fond he was of the sea. His face would relax, open as he relaxed in the sun and the gentle breeze. He had always smiled while on the boat, his fingers curled protectively in Audrey’s because her legs were made for the land.

Uma, though, is a sight Audrey could watch for hours. The light that glows from within warms her whole face, and it’s like she’s a new person. One who can delight in the water and not instinctively hide from an inquisitive gaze. She must’ve learned to hide her feelings, but the sea washes any mask away. The sight of Uma’s sparkling eyes make Audrey forget the unsteadiness of her legs on the rocking ship, and the sight of the sun gleaming against the other girl’s lip gloss takes Audrey’s breath away, sucks it straight from her lungs and leaves her just the slightest bit woozy.

Audrey’s never been woozy before, not really, and it’s unbecoming of a Princess of her caliber. She steadies herself, ignoring the sun glowing against Uma’s skin, and hardens herself until she is ice and her skin is stone. She will shield herself, build a shell thicker than steel and wrap her heart in barbed wire. She will unleash a dragon to protect herself, and maybe that’s why Uma schools her features the instant she catches Audrey’s eye, her own expression smoothening until she too is stone.

Audrey can admire that, but she won’t let herself. Admiration is for the weak. She is supposed to be admired.

To be admired, to be donned in glory and aspirations, that is to be powerful.

Some may call her callous, others would call her ignorant. Audrey likes to think of herself as water. Flexible and accommodating. Water can get anywhere, through stone and earth, but some people are stuck solidly in place. Audrey thinks of the crown and she thinks of etiquette lessons and maybe she thinks of Alice Elizabeth too, but she’d never say  _ that.  _

When Audrey thinks of power she thinks of a glint of gold and water.

There’s a certain beauty in flexibility, the ability to be anyone and anything. Etiquette lessons and lover boys and wild laughter pouring from her throat in her dorm room, the sun shining on Ben’s hair and his eyes sparkling and he’s looking at her, and she wishes…

She wishes he wouldn’t look at her like that. Like he loves her because suddenly her Mother’s hand is on her back, guiding her with pointed suggestions and tense smiles. Her future unfolds beneath her feet, and her Mother is pushing her and Ben is tugging her and Audrey is going to be Queen, and if she’s going to be Queen then she has to love her King. She throws herself into loving him, forces her sharp edges to weaken and break away, leaving her chipped and unprotected. She lays her heart in his hands and watches as he treats it delicately, only to discard it when a better offer came along. No, not a  _ better  _ one. A different one.

Pink into purple, smile into smirk.

Her Mother’s disapproving tut, her Grandmother’s shameful expression. Audrey was set on a path, and this is where it led her. Heartache and a love forced then lost. Audrey had become a Princess, truly and efficiently. Maybe Ben had loved her once, but it wasn’t enough. She wasn’t enough as she was, but she had molded herself  _ for  _ him.

She had trimmed the weeds, plucked the thorns, painted herself red as a rose for him. Beautiful and prim, proper as a Princess should be. Roses are what all good love stories are composed of, but nobody ever mentions the thorns.

How was Audrey supposed to know Ben would have thorns rather than a flower?

“What do you want to do before dinner tonight, Princess?” Uma asks, abruptly pulling Audrey from her train of thought. She’s playing at casual, examining her finger nails with forced interest.

“I’m going to lie down for awhile, actually. What time is dinner again?” She knows what time it is. It’s at seven, and they’ll be there on time. No fashionably late entrances are set in stone yet. However, the question will make it seem like she isn’t feeling well and therefore isn’t quite ready to brave the ship yet.

“It’s at seven.” Uma answers her.

“Wake me up at five thirty so I can begin getting ready.” Uma frowns at her, and Audrey grimaces before tacking on a please, and twisting her lips into a smile.

“Can do, Princess.” 

“Thanks, sugar plum.” Audrey says cheerfully, dipping forward and brushing her lips against Uma’s cheek. She walks away before Uma can say anything, and she doesn’t look back to see what expression has shifted onto the other girl’s face. It isn’t important.

Audrey doesn’t even care, and that’s the honest to god truth.

* * *

Audrey’s eyes are closed when Uma slips into their room, but she’s not asleep. She hadn’t needed to rest, but of course Uma couldn’t know that. She would ask questions if she knew, and Audrey wasn’t really prepared to give her any answers. Besides, it’s not like Audrey had any answers herself. All she really knows is that Ben is getting married and it was supposed to be her in white, but instead it’s Mal.

Mal the villain kid, Mal the spell caster.

Mal the life ruiner.

Audrey can imagine the saccharine smile on her Grandmother’s face.  _ Princesses aren’t petty, darling.  _ Whatever. The old bat was never really a Princess if they aren’t supposed to be petty, then. It’s not like Grandmother’s a saint or anything, but Audrey isn’t either so it is what it is.

“Rise and Shine, Sleeping Beauty.” Uma teases, and Audrey starts to open her mouth to protest the nickname because  _ really,  _ but then there’s a body falling on top of hers, an elbow knocking against her ribs and a knee grazing her stomach with enough force to leave her gasping, the breath sufficiently knocked out of her lungs.

Uma laughs at the look on her face, terror and anger warring painted brightly on her face. “Get off!” Audrey grumbles, voice hoarse as she takes in as much air as she can. She shoves Uma away, pushing insistently on her shoulders until Uma complies and rolls off of her, landing right beside Audrey. They’re shoulder to shoulder, pressed against each other, but at least Uma is off of her.

“Told you I’d get you up, didn’t I?” Uma asks rhetorically, sporting a grin that makes her look like the cat who got the canary. 

“I didn’t know you’d  _ assault  _ me!” Audrey complains.

Uma glances at her, smile fading slightly. “What did you expect from an Isle Kid?”

Any words Audrey might have said die on her lips, and the silence stretches around them. She avoids Uma’s gaze, conscious of how charged it must be at the moment. Instead, she glances at the clock and startles. It’s five forty five and Audrey has to pick their outfits and do their makeup and hair. Audrey clears her throat, pointing to the clock. “It’s almost six; we should start getting ready.” Her throat is dry and her voice is soft.

“Right.” Audrey glances over at Uma, and is surprised to see that the look on her face is one of disappointment. Audrey blinks and it’s gone like it was never there. Maybe it never really was.

She doesn’t have time to dwell on it, though. She rolls out of the bed they’ll be sharing that night and grabs their suitcases. Uma had brought them in from the hallway probably. Audrey had found a do not disturb sign and stuck it on the door handle to discourage any visitors who might want to chat with her, however unlikely that would be.

While she sifts through their clothes for outfits that would compliment each other, she hangs their outfits up in the closet and fills up the drawers. This will help them in the following days, but it also puts them behind schedule, Audrey finally deciding on a simple dress for herself and a pant shirt combo that she figured Uma would like.

“Here.” Audrey shoves the clothes into Uma’s arms, quickly putting her own dress on and starting to do her hair. She decides to curl it, pulling out her curling iron and glancing at Uma in the mirror. “Can you do your own hair?”

Uma scowls at her. “Of course I can. Who do you think I am? Mal? We don’t all have fancy magic spells to do our hair with.” There’s an underlying bitterness in her words, but Audrey tries not to ponder on it. If Uma wanted to share with the class, she would.

Besides, she highly doubted Uma would want to share her personal feelings with Audrey anyways.

Audrey makes quick work on her hair, glancing at the clock and cursing quietly under her breath when she sees the time. They have twenty minutes left until seven, but luckily Uma’s already begun working on her makeup.

Audrey hurries through her makeup, glancing occasionally at Uma to gauge how far along the other girl is. Uma finishes first, waiting for Audrey to finish touching up her own makeup. “Done!” Audrey announces, hurriedly putting her shoes on and grabbing Uma’s wrist.

She pulls the other girl out of the room, grabbing her bag which has their key card in it. They rush to dinner, bursting through the door three minutes after dinner.

The whole room turns to stare at them, eyes widening as they realize who exactly the fashionably late people are. Audrey flushes pink, but Uma glows under the attention, an arrogant smirk slowly spreading across her face.

“Audrey! Over here.” Ben stands up, gesturing to two seats on his left. A quick scan of the table shows that it’s comprised mostly of Ben and Mal’s closest friends, the main four being the rehabilitated Villain Kids.

Audrey smiles sweetly, striding confidently towards the table with Uma at her heels. “Thanks for saving us seats, Ben. You are just the sweetest!” Audrey trills, glowing when Mal’s jaw clenches.

_ Maybe being fashionably late was the right move after all _ , Audrey thinks as she settles into her seat, Uma by her side.  _ Advantage Audrey. _


End file.
